


Something New

by chelztoddbrooke



Series: The Road To The Goat Farm [4]
Category: Spartacus Series (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-12
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-21 23:22:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14295684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chelztoddbrooke/pseuds/chelztoddbrooke
Summary: “But Mr. Rhin…” she protested, blatantly pointing at the man in the doorway. Agron finally turned to acknowledge the visitor. Any greeting he had in mind died on his lips. There stood Nasir, leaning causally against the door frame in a half zip pullover and corduroys.Nasir shows a bit of his bolder side, surprising Agron at work. And Duro finally lays eyes on the man his brother has fallen hard for.





	Something New

Agron was giving his class instructions on their next lesson when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone standing in the doorway of his classroom. Kory caught his eye and tilted her head towards the door. He nodded subtly, acknowledging that he’d seen the visitor. She shook her head no and gestured towards the door with less discretion.

“Ms. Goodwin, I encourage you to pay attention,” he warned with a pointed look.

“But Mr. Rhin…” she protested, blatantly pointing at the man in the doorway. Agron finally turned to acknowledge the visitor. Any greeting he had in mind died on his lips. There stood Nasir, leaning causally against the door frame in a half zip pullover and corduroys. A million terms of endearment flitted through Agron’s head and his fingers twitched as he fought the urge to reach out for the man. He hadn’t actually seen him since their date at the zoo a couple weeks earlier. They had been trying to plan a second date, but their schedules were conflicting. However, there had been numerous phone calls and texts in the meantime.

He cleared his throat and addressed his class. “Ok, get to work, I want you ready for discussion in ten minutes.”

Nasir couldn’t fight the smirk on his face. He enjoyed seeing Agron flustered. The man usually exuded so much confidence.

“Stop it,” Agron growled in his ear as he grabbed him by the elbow and led him into the hallway.

“Stop what?” Nasir chuckled.

“You know what,” Agron returned, lightheartedly  “What are you doing here?”

“You know that mandatory assembly you have to attend today?” Nasir started

“Yeah, school values…” the teacher furrowed his brow, not understanding what the connection was.

“Meet your guest speaker,” Nas grinned, throwing his arms out to his sides and doing a little spin.

“Sneaky,” Agron muttered.

“I wanted to surprise you. Plus, it was sort of last minute. Leo only asked me a couple days ago,” the smaller man shrugged. “And since I had to rearrange things so I could be here, I suddenly find myself with a free evening, so I was kind of hoping you might be available for dinner afterwards…”

“Uh, yeah, definitely,” he answered quickly. He attempted to draw up his schedule in his head, but honestly, at the moment he would forego pretty much anything to have dinner with Nasir. For a moment he stared down at the man, just taking in the sight of him, still not quite believing he was actually there.

“What?” Nasir asked, noticing his stare.

“I just forgot how attractive you are in person. You’re not going to let me kiss you, are you?” A wicked grin crawled across the taller man’s face.

Nasir let out a light laugh and shook his head. “I have never been kissed in a high school and I don’t plan to break that streak now.”

“Oh, I’ll break it. Maybe not today, but I’ll break it. Promise,” Agron winked. Nasir arched an eyebrow at him.

“You should probably get back to your class, I just wanted to say hi,”

The teacher checked his watch. His students still had a couple minutes before they would be ready to discuss their reading, but he could tell by the chatter coming from his classroom that they were either finished or stopped working when he left the room. Reluctantly, he nodded at the man before him. Nasir smiled and started to turn back towards the way he came. Agron reached out a grabbed his hand.

“See you after?” he asked. The beaming smile Nasir shot him with lit Agron up from head to toe. He took a moment to collect himself before returning to his class. However, he was hardly surprised by the whistles and cat calls that greeted him upon his return. He rolled his eyes. _Teenagers._

“So you _did_ get his number,” Kory mentioned smugly.

“Still none of your business, Miss Goodwin. How about you start our discussion?” he deflected smartly.

* * *

 

Agron was entranced in much the same way he’d been the day Nasir had given him a tour around the hospital. Again, Nasir was very much in his element as he addressed the restless group of high school students. He couldn’t help the swell of pride in his chest as he watch the man present with one of his best students. Unfortunately, the pride quickly gave way to dread.

“So that’s him?” Duro’s voice remarked from over his shoulder. Agron winced.

“Does Kory have you on speed dial or something?” he spat at his brother.

“No, but she does have health class after Modern World,” Duro retorted. “Not to mention the disgusting gooey look slathered all over your face, brother. Anyone could take one look at you and know you are crazy about that guy.”

“We’ve been on _one_ date,” Agron huffed.

“I hate to hand it to you, but you were crazy about him long before that,” Duro chuckled, getting plenty of amusement out of his big brother’s reddening face. “So are you going to introduce me?

“Not gonna happen,” his older brother shook his head.

“Why not?” Duro squawked indignantly.

“Because I’d like to go on more than one date with him,” Agron bit out.

“Ah you’re afraid he’s going to like me better,” the younger brother replied, with a knowing nod.

“No you moron, it’s because you’ll scare him off and that is not a risk I am willing to take at this point,” Agron replied with an impressive eye roll.

“I would be on my best behavior,”Duro promised.

“That’s what worries me,” mused Agron, stepping away so he could hear the end of Nasir’s presentation.

* * *

 

Agron anxiously gathered his things. He assumed Nasir was going to meet him back in his classroom after he finished with the presentation, but the man was taking just a little too long for his liking. He’d been caught off guard when Nasir had shown up at his classroom earlier in the day. It was not something he expected from Nasir. Thus far, Nasir seemed skittish and reserved, especially when it came to their jobs. He definitely did not like to cross the line between professional and personal. So with each minute that ticked by, Agron began to believe Nasir might have changed his mind about dinner.

“Honestly, I didn’t think you had the ability to get nervous,” the man in question chuckled from the doorway. Agron felt his cheeks redden.

“I thought you might have had second thoughts,” he shrugged.

“No, no, the principal was thanking me for my presentation and then I had to touch base with Leo, took a little longer than expected,” Nasir explained.

“It was a great presentation,” Agron complimented.

“Thanks, but I am not sure you’re the best judge, since you talked all the way through it,” the smaller man teased.

“I did not, my idiot brother did,”  Agron grumbled.          

“I was wondering if that’s who that was,” Nasir mused.

“He was trying to scope you out,” the teacher said dismissively. Nasir felt his stomach tighten with anxiety. He wasn’t sure if it was because Agron’s brother was looking at him, or that Agron hadn’t even attempted to introduce them.

“You ready to go?” he asked, not wanting to give his anxiety any more of a chance to sink in.

* * *

 

Agron followed Nasir in his jeep. He picked up on the slight awkwardness of their last conversation in his classroom. He wrote it off as simply jitters. They were still figuring this out. Plus the workplace setting robbed them of any natural greeting or conversation.

Nasir has settled on a vibey little taco shop known for its unique flavors and craft beers. He wanted something casual, a place where he could sit a little closer to Agron if he so desired and not feel like he was being inappropriate. As he reached for the door, Agron caught his other hand, tugging him away from the entrance. Before he could process what was happening, Agron was kissing him. Nasir’s hands scrabbled against Agron’s shirt, pulling the man closer as the kiss deepened.

“Hi,” Agron breathed when they finally broke apart.

“Hi,” Nasir parroted, a smile coming to his face.

“Sorry, I’ve been wanting to do that since you appeared in my doorway,” the taller man admitted.

“Yeah,  would’ve never let you do that in the hallway of a high school,” Nas grinned.

“I’ve caught my students doing worse, believe it or not,” Agron chuckled. Nasir shook his head, thinking about all of the trouble he _didn’t_ get into in high school. He had other priorities, mostly surviving his last years in the foster care system and his life thereafter. He reached for Agron’s hand and led him into the restaurant.

“So,” Agron started, shoving a tortilla chip heavily laden with salsa into his mouth. “I didn’t realize Leo actually stayed on as a volunteer at the hospital. I knew he was looking into it.”

“Yeah, he’s scheduled two or three days a week. He’s working towards a service scholarship. And besides me being desperate for volunteers, I know what it’s like trying to make ends meet for college, so I am happy to give him all of the hours he can handle.” Nasir replied, reaching out to brush a stray chip crumb from the scruff of Agron’s beard. He earned a dimpled smile for his effort.

“I take it you were a scholarship kid?” Agron took the opportunity to send the conversation in a more personal direction. Since Nasir revealed he had grown up in the foster system on their first date, numerous question cropped up in Agron’s mind, but he was never sure how best to approach the subject.

“Yes and no. I took advantage of a program through my high school that offered two free years at a junior college. But there were numerous grants and scholarships for foster kids so I definitely did my share of service hours and applications to pay for the remaining two years,” the dark skinned man answered, anxiously tucking his jet black hair behind his ears.

“Wow, I’m impressed. But I guess I’m a scholarship kid too, but I took the easy route. Sports,” the man opposite replied with a kind smile, hoping to put his companion at ease.

“Rugby?” Nasir assumed.

“No, soccer. There is not a lot of rugby scholarships in the US, if I would have stayed in Europe maybe,” Agron corrected.

“I forget you were born in Germany. I was actually born in Syria,” Nasir commented, raising his eyebrows for effect.

That remark sent a million more question ricocheting through Agron’s mind. The man in front of him was an ever evolving enigma. However, he figured now was not the time to dig into that particular well. “So I feel like it’s my responsibility as a good gay to ask this question…”he shifted the conversation yet again.

“You’re gay!?” Nasir gasped, feigning surprise.

“Wait, you’re not a woman?” Agron returned the joke, blushing a little as he remembered his initial encounter with Nasir at the hospital.

“Despite you continuing to insist that I am, still all boy,” Nasir responded in kind. “But continue with your question.”

“When did you know and how did you come out?” All of the playfulness drained out of Nasir’s face as the question left Agron’s lips. Agron swallowed thickly. He felt like he had wandered into restricted territory. The guarded expression he was beginning to recognize crossed Nasir’s features. “I’m sorry, was that…” he desperately wanted to get them back on an even keel.

“No, no, um, can you go first?” Nasir stammered. Admittedly, he was thrown off by Agron’s question. He was not accustomed to talking about his sexuality. Growing up, he just saw it as something else to be bullied about, but here with Agron he knew it was safe. And if he wanted anything to come of this relationship, he would have to learn to let people in. He just needed a little more encouragement.

“Of course,” Agron smiled, relief flooding his body. Nasir now looked more hesitant than closed off. “I kind of always knew I was gay. I mean, even the word vagina makes me queasy. Plus, I played sports growing up. I liked the locker room a little more than I should have. I never really came out, it was just the natural progression of things. There was no formal announcement. Everyone just kind of knew I wasn’t interested in girls. Which for some reason made me really popular with the girls, much to my brother’s chagrin.”

“I always kind of knew too. When you spend some of your formative years in a boys home, you learn your preferences pretty quickly. But at the same time you quickly learn to keep them to yourself. I decided it was best to act straight. So I had girlfriends through middle school and high school, but the relationship usually fell apart when any kind of intimacy was required of me. I just wasn’t comfortable with women in that way. So went I got to college, I got involved in PFLAG and gay straight alliance and I haven’t looked back,” Nasir glossed over the darker details of coming to terms with his sexuality and growing up gay in the foster care system. It just didn’t seem like second date material.

“With having girlfriends, did you ever feel compelled to experiment?” There was no judgement in Agron's tone, only interest. He knew that not everyone eased into their sexuality the way he had and he could see how the trappings of the foster care system might have led Nasir to be a little more unsure. 

“Not really. To be honest, I wasn't really sexually active in any way until I was out of the system. It just seemed safer," Nasir admitted. Agron didn't miss the flash of something dark across Nasir's face, but the man moved past it so quickly he couldn't comment on it. " But I assume based on your aversion to the word vagina, you never experimented either?” Nasir countered a jovial smile coming to his face.

“You assume correctly. I mean I love women, I work in a female dominated career and I have a lot of female friends. But their anatomy does next to nothing for me,” Agron shrugged. 

“So you never dated a girl? Not even in your awkward teenage years?” the man across the table asked.

“Does coaching my brother through his relationship with his wife count?”

“Is he really that hopeless?”

“Surprisingly not, but I think that has more to do with Mia than Duro. She is a godsend,” Agron laughed.

“You’re deflecting, Aggie. Which means you probably have some heterosexual dating horror story…”Nasir teased.

“Aggie?” Agron’s eyebrows shot up, surprised by the term of endearment. “That’s cute, I like it,” he approved, noticing the slight pink twinge to Nasir’s cheeks. Actually, he liked it more than he cared to admit. It was another sign Nasir was feeling more comfortable with him.

“It’s better than ‘Little Man’,” Nasir scowled. Agron reached out to grasp his chin, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

“You know you love Little Man,” he rasped. Nasir snapped his teeth together, emitting a low growl. Agron released him, laughing loudly. He was desperately trying to ignore the way that sound went straight to his groin. He shifted in his seat. “But no, no horror story. I really never had a girlfriend. I mean, I went to a lot of school dances as a token date, but they were all just friends. The straight guys all hated me for it, my brother most of all. And I was never really awkward as a teenager,” he returned to the subject, ending with a cocky smile.

“Well, that explains why you’re so awkward now,” Nasir quipped, intending to take the man down a peg. Agron feigned offence, sticking his tongue out at the smaller man.

Their conversation continued in a much similar manner for the remainder of their meal. They skirted around the serious subjects, saving them for a later date.

“Have you ever had an ice cream cone from an ice cream cone?” Agron asked vaguely.

Nasir furrowed his brow. “I’m not sure I follow.”

“Do you like ice cream? Or rather, would you like some ice cream?”

“Uh, sure,”

“I know a place, come on,” Agron said, grabbing Nasir’s hand and tugging him out of his chair.

“Hold on, little legs!” Nasir squawked as he stumbled along behind the man.

 Once in the parking lot, Agron rounded on the smaller man, crowding him against the jeep. Nasir blinked up at him slowly, a mischievous grin playing at his lips, as if he were daring Agron to make a move.  The tension was nearly tangible as Agron made his decision. He took a step back, letting out a frustrated growl. He knew if he didn’t stop now, he might not stop.

“You ok?” Nasir asked softly. All the heat had dissipated from his expression, replaced by something more tender. Agron gently cupped the man’s chin and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

 “Yeah, I’m good,” he smiled warmly. “Ice cream?” he added a beat later, not allowing the moment to get awkward. Nasir resisted the urge to sag against the jeep in relief. He knew he’d been the one pressing Agron’s buttons, but somehow between the pleasure of teasing him and his wild attraction to the man, everything went blurry. He nearly found himself on the other side of the line he wasn’t quite ready to cross. He could tell by Agron’s final grasp for restraint, he wasn’t ready either. It was comforting to know they were on the same page.

* * *

 

The car ride was mostly silent, but not awkwardly so. Agron reached across the center console to intertwine his hand with Nasir’s.

“This is new for me,” Nasir said finally, rubbing his thumb across the back of Agron’s hand. Agron hummed in response. He was learning that it wasn’t often that Nasir initiated a conversation and if he did, it was wise to listen. “Affectionate touch. It’s not something there’s a lot of in…well, you know,” Nasir trailed off, he didn’t like talking about the foster care system, but he was trying. Agron swallowed back the question on the tip of his tongue. By the way he said it, it sounding like Nasir was familiar with a un-affectionate brand of touching. Whether that meant physical abuse or unwelcome advances, he was unsure, but it was not something he would ask. If Nasir wanted him to know, he would tell him.

“But it’s ok, right? I’m not making you…” Agron tried to untangle their hands, but Nasir held tight.

“It’s perfect, Agron. I had just sort of forgot it was a thing,” the dark haired man shrugged. Agron maneuvered his jeep into the open spot in front  of the ice cream spot. Once in park, he looked at the man opposite him.

“If I have anything to say about it, you won’t forget again,” he replied, bringing their clasped hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to Nasir’s knuckles. He could just make out the color coming to Nasir’s cheeks in the dark car. He released him and they both climbed out of the car.

* * *

 

“You weren’t joking,” Nasir noted as he looked up at the giant ice cream cone looming over him. “It’s actually shaped like an ice cream cone.”

“Best soft serve in town. What’s your pleasure?” the taller man grinned. Nasir quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Just a dip cone.”

“Coming right up,” Agron bounced towards the window where a bored teenager was waiting to serve them. There wasn’t much traffic at an ice cream place in February.

Agron made a mistake. He’s finished his own ice cream quickly and was now watching as Nasir finished his. Therein lied his mistake. He felt the familiar tightening of his pants as he watched the man lap at the dregs of his dessert. He watched a probing tongue dart out to lick his lips before dipping back into the cone and sucking out a final morsel of ice cream. Agron nearly groaned out loud. A beat later, Nasir popped the last bit of cake cone in his mouth and smiled up at him.

“Sorry, I don’t eat ice cream very often, I like to really enjoy it when I do,” he commented. The light in his eyes told Agron he knew exactly what he was doing to him.

“I’m sure you do,” Agron rasped, his voice thicker than he expected. He wanted to kiss him, so bad. But just like before, he wasn’t sure that he’d be able to stop once he got started. “I should probably get you back to your car, school night and all.”

* * *

 

They stood next to Nasir’s little sports car in front of the restaurant. Nasir was tucked under Agron’s chin, feeding off of the warmth of his large body.

“I’m glad we did this,” Agron stated. “I mean, I’m glad you did this…”

Nasir didn’t miss the wistfulness in Agron’s tone. He looked up at the man, surprised to see something akin to wonder in his green eyes. “I really threw you off today, didn’t I?” he chuckled.

“Yeah, you did.” He just never expected Nasir to show up at his classroom, at least not so soon into their relationship.

“Good or bad?

“Good. Keep doing it.”

“Noted,” Nasir smiled. “Do you think you’ll have time for me this weekend?” he asked, knowing Agron was juggling numerous school and family commitments at the moment.

“Yes,” Agron replied without hesitation. Nasir narrowed his eyes. That answered seemed too easy. Agron caught his disbelief. “Look, Nas. I’m not going to lie. I’m swamped. But I am going to make time for you, for us. This waiting weeks between dates isn’t going to work anymore. I meant what I said on our first date. I want to spend time with you and if I have to reprioritize a little to make that happen, I will. So  yes, I will have time for you this weekend.”

“Good,” Nasir smiled. That was another thing that was new to him, being a priority. But he had a feeling he was going to like it.


End file.
